The people who run the town's shopping centre said they ordered it from a Christmas tree supplier, but when the "awful thing" turned up, it was too late to swap it in time for the town's big Christmas light switch-on.

Councillor Joan Maslin said she had received loads of complaints from residents about the state of the tree.

"To be honest, it looks like something that people would throw in a skip after Christmas," she said. "It is an insult to Peterlee."